Obituary of Elenora WILSON (nee D’Amico)

July 17, 1923 - Bankhead, Alberta 

March 6, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta

It is with deep sorrow the family of Elenora Wilson announce the loss of our dear mother on Friday, March 6, 2020. 

Mom, Gramma, Granny, Nonna was born in Bankhead, AB; now a ghost mining town near Banff. She grew up in Hillcrest in the Crowsnest Pass along with six brothers and three sisters, freely playing in the hills beneath Turtle Mountain. As a child of the Great Depression, Elenora came to cherish and value everything in life, to waste nothing and to never throw anything out no matter how trivial or how long past a BB date.

At the age of nineteen Elenora attended Teacher Prep School in Lethbridge and then accepted her first teaching assignment in Cold Lake in 1943. After marrying a RCAF flyboy from Blairmore, Charles Becher Wilson, she returned to the Pass to live, to raise two wonderful caring children Skip and Sharyn and to teach in Bellevue.  When the local mines were shutting down the family moved to Calgary where Elenora took a teaching position at Stanley Jones School, where she helped form and assist with the running of the Safety Patrol Band before finishing out her thirty-five year teaching career at Captain John Palliser.

A believer in life-long learning, Elenora continued to take courses in art, history, computer programs, Italian or whatever her interest was at the time. She was an avid family history researcher spending many hours in libraries and graveyards all over the world documenting and expanding the family trees much to the chagrin of Becher who would have preferred to do research in a neighbourhood pub. Elenora was an early adopter of technology using computers to tune up politicians and for internet research.

Elenora’s three grandchildren, Nicole, Denise and Brendon; and three great-grandchildren, Levi, Casey and Jacob all lit up her life. Family and friends were the most important parts of Elenora’s life. She cherished hosting parties and dinners when the entire family of brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and their children could attend. All of these events are legendary and gave mom great joy. Elenora lived a life full of travel, learning, teaching and was quick to express her opinion on just about anything.  Her bright voice and friendly manner will be missed by all.

A Celebration of Elenora’s Life will be held at a later date. In Lieu of flowers, if friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made in Elenora’s name, directly to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta, 200, 119 – 14^th Street N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 1Z6 Telephone: (403) 264-5549, www.heartandstroke.ca, or a charity of your choice. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Elenora’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.

The family would like to extend a huge thank you to the many health care professionals who were involved with our mothers care.

In living memory of Elenora Wilson, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 CENTRE STREET NORTH, CALGARY, AB, T2E 2V6,   Telephone: 403-243-8200.